Electric switch



I Nov. 2 1926.

' 1,605,681 I G.v J. MEUER ELECTRIC sw'ITcH L FiledJune 1, 1920 lll iawill now be described Patented Nov. 2, 1926.

y UNITED STATES PATENTo F F I C E GEORGE J'. MEUER, 0F MILWAUKEE,WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR '.10 THE GUTLER-HAM- MER MFG. CO., F MILWAUKEE,WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

'Application med rune i, 1920. seriai no. 385,628.

This invention relates to improvements in electric snap switches.

An object of the invention is to provide a snap switch of simple, ruggedand durable construction which may be advantageously use-d in variousrelations.

'Another object is to provide a .switch of the aforesaid character whichis particularly adapted to installation in vacuum cleaner lo handles andthe like. u l

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafterappear.

The accompanying drawing illustrates certain embodiments of theinvention which it being underst-ood that the embodiments illustratedare susceptible of various modifications without departing from the scpe of the appended claims. In the drawing: Figure 1 is a perspectiveview showing .a switch mechanism7 an insulating sleeve therefor and acasing for concealed mount- Y-ing thereof. to Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsectional view of the aforesaid elements in assembled relation.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 oit Fig. 2.

Figs. d and 5 are detail fragmentary views of the stationary contactsshown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 6 is 'a longitudinal-sectional view of r. modified form of switchmechanism, and

Fig. 7 is a sectional View substantially on line 7-'7 of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawing the same shows a unitary snap switch mechanism1 to be enclosed in an insulating sleeve 2 and to be secured by screws 3within a tube 4; which may be assumed to comprise a section of a toolhandle.

The switch mechanism shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 comprises a circularoperating memb er 5, an oscillating contactor 6 and stationary contacts7, sai-d contactor 6 being supported on a frame 8 into which screws 3are adapted to thread forsecurement of the switch mechanism within tube4i. rlhe frame 8 has downwardly and inwardl projecting end extensions 9and has secure to opposite sides thereof insulating plates 11 portingstationary contacts '7, said plates being secured to frame 8 by rivetlugs 12 provided on opposite sides ofr extensions 9.

f A'llhe operating member 5 is pivotally for supmounted on a pin 13 andthe upper wall of frame 8 is slotted to receive said member and is alsoyprovided with upwardly struck portions 14.- and downwardly 'struckportions 15 to provide bearings for said pin. perating member 5 isprovided with a slot 16. to receive contactorV 6 and said contactercomprises a flat stamping having its upper end pivotallysecured to saidoperating member by a pin 17 at a point below pivot pin 13 and Ihavingits lower end provided with an insulated contact block 18. llhecontactor 6 is thus free to oscillate about its pivot 17 and such pivotis shiftable longitudinally of frame 8 by reciprocatory movement ofoperating member 5.

Contacter 6 is provided with an opening adjacent its lower end toreceive a helical spring 20 and said spring has its extremities loopedover opposite ends of pin 13. Thus it will be observed that spring 13serves to eect oscillation of contacter 6 with a snap action uponshifting of the pivot of sai contactor across the axis of said spring.lin this connection it is to be noted that the eX- tremities ofextensions 9 form stops for the contactor and that in either extremeosition of the contacter the spring 20 ten s to move the operatingmember 5 toa corresponding extremeposition such movement being limitedby engagement of the bottom 'surface of slot 16 with the side of thecontactor 6.

The stationary contacts 7 are mounted on the inner faces of insulatingplates 11 and are arranged to be bridged by contact block 18. is bestshown in Figs. 4i and 5 each of the contacts 'l' comprises a relexedleaf spring secured to its respective insulating plate 11 by a hollowrivet 21. 'llhe rivet 21 is internally threaded to receive a bindingscrew 22 and has asquare head 23 on its inner end located between theredexed ends of Contact 7 and has its outer end riveted over on aterminal plate 211- located on the outer face of insulating' plate 11.The square head 23 prevents rotation of rivet 21 relative to Contact 7and to prevent rotation of Contact? relative to insulating plate 11,contact is provided with an outwardly extending lug 25 passing throughan opening in the insulating plate 11 and projecting into recess 26 interminal plate 241.

The frame 8 being insulated from both the stationary and movablecontacts renders MIU further insulation of the operating member 5unnecessary and enables said frame to be secured to the tube orothersupport without insulation. Accordingly, the insulating 'are ofsuch dimensions that the same can readilyY be inserted into the end oftube 4 for assembly thereof. lf desired, the periphery of theoperatingmember 5 can be provided with on and off markings to beconcealed selectively by the ends of slot 28 in opposite extremepositions of said member to indicate the position of contactor 6.

Figures 6 and 7 illustrate a modified form of switch mechanismincludingl an operating member 30 which is slidably mounted on frame 8.The operating member 30 com prises a stamping which is U-shaped in crosssection and is provided with a hump 31 on its 'upper edge to projectthrough the aperture V28 in the tube 4. The upper face of frame 8 isslotted to receive the operating member 30 and the lowerportion of saidmember is provided with end portions 32 to bear on' end extensions 9 ofsaid frame and with a downward projection 33 arranged to abut saidextensions in extreme positions of the operating member. slotted at 34to receive a pivot pin 35 of con-A tactor 6 and the extremities ofspring 20 are Secured to lugs 36 on frame 8. The pin 35 is provided withheads on opposite ends thereof to bear on the under side of the top wallof frame 8 and as shown in Fig. 6 the slots 34 are inclined towards theleft to facilitate bending of the middle portion of projections 33around pin 35, to hold the operating member 30 in place.

What l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A unitary switch comprising a frame. a pa" of insulating plates fixedto said fram in a substantially parallel relation, contacts mounted onthe djacent inner faces of said plates, terminas for said contactshaving wiring elements accessible ex-4 teriorly of said plates and acontactor and spring actuating means therefor, supported by said framebetween said plates, said con'- tactor having its current carrying partinsulated from said means and said frame and said means including areciprocatory operating member projecting from said frame.

2. A unitary switch comprising a metallic Projections 33 are reoaeaiframe, a pair of insulating plates fixed to said frame in asubstantially parallel relation, contacts mounted on the adjacent innerfaces of said plates, terminal screws for said contacts accessibleexteriorly of said plates, a reciprocatory member mounted on said frameand projecting outwardly therefrom, a contactor oscillatably mounted onsaid member between said plates and having a current carrying partinsulated from said member to bridge said contacts and a springassociated with said contactor for moving the same into and out ofengagement with said contacts with a snap antrm' non reciprocation ofsaid member.

3. The combination with a snap/ switch device having a projectingoperating member, of an insulating. sleeve surrounding said device andproviding spaced con'duc'tor passages between thesame and saidA deviceon opposite sides of the latter' and a tubular casing for receiving saiddevice and said sleeve therewithin in assembled relation, said casinghaving a slot therein for receiving said operating. member.

4. rlhe combination with a unitary snap switch having a metallicsupporting frame and a reciprocatory operating memberprojecting fromsaid frame, of an insulating sleeve surrounding said switch mechanismbut exposing said operating member and a portion of said frame and atubular enclosing casing for said switch having a longi-v tudinallyextending slot to'receive the actuating member thereof and means toco-operate with that portion of the frame of said switch exposed by saidinsulating sleeve for securement of said switch within said casing. y 5.The combination with a snap switch comprising a metallic supportingframe, a contactor and actuating'means thereforfcarried by saidy frame,insulating plates fixed to said frame on opposite sides of saidcontaeter, contactsy carried by said plates on the adjacent inner facesthereof, terminals for said contacts carried by said plates andaccessible exteriorly thereof, of an insulating sleeve surroundino` saidswitch and forming with said insulating plates, conductor passages tosaid' terminals.

6. lihe combination with a snap switch comprising a metallic frame, acontactor and operating means therefor carried by said frame, saidrmeansincluding a reciprocatory operating member. projecting from said frame,insulating plates carried byy said frame onopposite sides of saidcontactor, contacts mounted on the inner adjacent faces .of said` platesand having terminals accessible exteriorly of said plates, of aninsulating sleeve surrounding .said switch and forming vwith said platesconductor passages to said terminals, said sleeve having an openingthrough 'which said switch operating member projects and a tubularcasing to iet I ian receive said switch and having a longitudinal slotlto receive' said switch operating 'member 7. A unitary 'frame, a pairof insulating plates fixed to said frame in a substantially parallelrelajtion, contacts mounted on the adjacent inner faces of said plates,terminals for saidl contacts having wiring elements accessibleexteriorly of said plates, a reciprocatory operating member mountedronsaid frame and projecting outwardly therefrom, a contactor having oneend pivotally connected to l a said member and having at its oppositeend y 'contacts mounted on said operating member and having at its' saidcontacts and a 'upon .reciprocation `operating member mounted andprojecting outwardly therefrom, a con#` an insulated current spring toeffect oscilla-g tion of said contacter with a snap action ber, saidspring passing through an opening in said' contactor adjacent thecontact end thereof and having its extremities fixed on opposite sidesof said operating member.

8. A unitary lsnapv switch comprising a metallic frame having endmembers, a pair of insulating plates fixed to the -sides of. said framein a substantially parallel relation, the inner faces of said plates,terminals forsaid contacts accessible exterior-ly of said plates, areciprocatory on said frame tactor having one end pivotally securedtoopposite end an insulated current switch comprising'a lmetallic carryingpart to bridge 'ing outwardly of said operating mem- .ject ingoutwardly` therefrom,

part for bridging said contacts, and a helical carrying sprmg passingthrough" an opening'in said contactor adjacent'its contact. end andhaving itsgextremitles fixed on opposlte sides of said member for.oscillating said contac'torl I with a snap action upon reciprocationof' having one end pivotally having at its opposite endgan member andinsulated current carrying party to bridge said contacts, ande-a springto effect oscillation of said contacter with a snap action uponpredetermined movement of said operating member, -said spring passingthrough lan opening in said contactor adjacent the Contact end thereofand having its extremities'xed on opposite sides'of said operatingmember.

In witness Whereonl have; hereunto subscribed my name,

GEORGE JQ 45 fixed position with re- -spect to said frame, contactsmounted on said

